A change of plans
by BeniKaze
Summary: "This was my only hope, the only way to save my family" repeated Ichigo before a girl he met only minutes before plunged her sword into his chest, a cold feeling spreading through his body before everything was engulfed in darkness. It seemed the world had a change of plans for this high school student. Ichigo x Sode no Shirayuki Disclaimer: I don't own anything
1. Chapter 1

**No harsh flames please, only constructive critizism since this is my first Bleach fanfiction I've ever done. Let's get this how on the road!**

Key

"Human"- regular conversation in the same plane of existence.

"_Human'_\- thinking

"**Human"**\- all attacks

"_**Human"**_\- Zanpakuto speaking to owners in their mind

(First time I'm going to try these quotes I see others doing) "The past and the future aren't the same but there're not completely separate either"-Kuroko Tetsuga

Chapter 1

This was my only hope, the only way to save my family. I repeated this mantra over and over in my head before I girl I had only met moments before plunged her katana into my chest. I gasped for air as I felt a cold sensation fill my body, almost as if it was tethering itself to me before everything was engulfed in darkness.

Soulscape

Sode no Shirayuki stood face to face with Zangetsu, Ichigo's 'soul reaper powers' as he so said.

"What is a quincy based being such as yourself doing as a zanpakuto?" asked the ice spirit.

"I had planned to remain as his dominate power, using my knowledge to and power to keep him on the right path so his inner hollow doesn't take over. However, with a true zanpakuto it won't be a problem. You may face problems dealing with his inner hollow but your abilities should allow you to stay on top and be the dominate power. I do apologize for not going in depth about the situation but our time is limited here in the exchanging of powers" said Zangetsu.

Sode no Shirayuki merely waved a hand "It is of no consequence, I'm sure I will understand more after experiencing it for myself. I do have one question though, is he a hybrid or will he just have a half and half power now?"

"Even with you taking my place his mother's origins as a quincy will not leave him as it is embedded into his DNA. He may retain a few quincy based moves or become immune to certain things but nothing major will come of it. His main trouble would have been truly mastering his hollow powers as my quincy base would not allow the full fusion but a soul reapers powers are different. As they relate closer too hollows it will allow for a more harmonic joining when he truly accepts and learns from his inner hollow." After Zangetsu had finished his body began to fade, his powers being forced into another body.

"I wish you luck with her, she may see all zanpakuto as no mere weapon but her actions differ from her true thoughts" said the ice spirit and Zangetsu nodded his head.

"Thank you, this one you now preside in is stubborn, head strong and goes off on his own but cares for his family and friends dearly. Goodbye for now, Sode no Shirayuki" said Zangetsu one final time before he disappeared from sight.

"Farewell Zangetsu" said Shirayuki softly before she too disappeared, fully integrating into Ichigo's soul.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ichigo's eyes snapped open, immediately noticing the sudden change in scenery. He was no longer lying on the street but on soft snow under an overcast sky. He stood slowly, stretching as he did before surveying the unfamiliar area. It was an odd place he'd never seen before, in pictures, movies or even in his dreams. In front of him was a massive lake, frozen over while the surrounding area was nothing but snow in all directions or at least as far as he could see. The tall teenager kept moving, doing a full 180 before noticing a small house in the distance, seeming untouched by what looked like freshly fallen snow. Knowing it was his best option he began his movement forward, walking at a slightly slower pace caused by the few inches of snow. Once he was within a hundred feet of the house he noticed it was untouched, a perfect circle twenty feet in diameter around the house was as dry as it would be on a summers day. Even a flowerpot that sat on the window seal seeming ignored the wintery weather around it.

"That is referred to as the eye of the storm, the calmest part of any storm" said an angelic voice from behind him, causing him to abruptly turn to face whoever had spoken and boy was he happy he did. To him the figure standing only a few meters away was the epitome of beauty. Her icy blue eyes complimented her light lavender hair set in an elegant fashion, a long bun sat on the back of her head while her bangs fell to the middle of her chest. It was split by a blue and white colored hair clip and causing a few strands to fall between her eyes and the rest flowing down past her waist line. She wore a pure white kimono with large sleeves and a large hem, a pale yellowish green kimono obi wrapped around her waist and attached to a large purple bow on her back.

"Beautiful" whispered Ichigo causing the woman's face to flush bright red.

"W-what?"

"Oh-uh…nothing, I just need help getting home, my family's in danger!" said Ichigo and the woman smiled.

"You are a worthy wielder, I will give you the power to help your family but there is a catch. With being able to use my powers you will be tasked with helping spirits pass on from this world to the next and riding the world of hollows that feast on the spirits."

"Oh, you mean those people only I can see?" asked Ichigo and the woman nodded her head.

"Fine with me, I just need to go as soon as possible!" said Ichigo again.

"Very well, I will allow you to use my powers to protect them. You only need to point the sword at whatever being you face before uttering my name."

"What is your name?"

Outside world

Rukia watched in surprise as all her powers left her momentarily, moving to Ichigo while feeling another power seep into her. She collapsed as Ichigo caught her, leaning her up against the wall and facing off the hollow. The strawberry blonde now donned the traditional shinigami robes and a thin katana pointed at said beast.

"_**Speak it, shout my name to the heavens!" **_said his spirit in his mind.

"Sode no Shirayuki!" shouted Ichigo before a small flurry of snow surrounded him then as fast as it had appeared it disappeared, showing his new sword, a sword Rukia knew all too well. It looked close to a standard katana in shape but now it was purely white in color while a long cloth hung off the end nearly three feet in length. The sword seemed to hum briefly before reiatsu circled the two then shot upwards, easily killing the hollow. Once the hollow had perished the pillar of reiatsu dispersed into snow, falling down as Ichigo examined his new sword.

"Amazing" said the new soul reaper before he passed out, his word reverting to its original state. As Rukia sat in shock she heard what sounded like wooden shoes on concrete before a shadow covered her body.

"My my, you look like you need some help" said the figure as it walked towards Rukia.

Soulscape

Ichigo opened his eyes to find himself in the strange wintery world he was in a few minutes ago. However, now he was inside the house he saw, facing Sode no Shirayuki who sat down in a plush chair and sipping warm tea.

"Would you like some?" asked Shirayuki.

"Of course, thank you" said Ichigo as he sat down and she handed him an already prepared cup.

"So how was it? Using my powers for the first time?"

Ichigo smiled "It was amazing! I could feel so much power radiating from you and when I attacked that hollow thing!"

Shirayuki smiled back "Good, you seem much more in tune with me than my previous weilder.

"Really? I thought she was your wielder for some time now."

The spirit sighed "She was but never bothered to truly get to know me or my powers, only getting the two first dances down."

"Dances?"

"Yes, a dance for me is an attack of mine. There are eight in total, each is an extreme gap in power if they are mastered fully. What few know is my dances can compete with nearly all bankai besides a select few."

"Ban…kai?" said Ichigo as the word rolled off his tongue.

"Ah, I forgot to explain the concepts. The sword you first saw is my sealed state, used for spars and sword training. The second form is what you can use dances in and access more of my powers we will go over at a later date."

"Oh, so the white blade is your unsealed state but the regular look is your sealed state. Gotcha, so anything else I need to know right now?"

"No but for now let's test your spiritual energy. Follow me outside" said the pale skinned woman as she opened the door, leading him to the lake.

"The best way for me is to show you the first dance and allow you to use as much power as you can. Since it is a ranged attack, the more spiritual pressure you have the larger the field of attack so watch closely." Shirayuki clasped her hands together almost as if she was praying before pulling them apart, her unsealed form appearing as she did. Once she had a grip on it she swung it around, making it seem as if she was dancing before she spoke.

"**Some No Mai-Tsukishiro(First dance-White moon)" ** then circle formed around her, only ten feet in diameter. The circle lit up, forming a pillar before the pillar turned to solid ice, Ichigo was going to move but the ice simply disappeared as if it had never been there.

She handed him the blade and moved back a few feet "You try, it's ok if you miss a step but just get the basic move down and speak the attack." Ichigo nodded his head and went through the movements, having trouble and missing a few steps before he spoke.

"**Some No Mai-Tsukishiro(First dance-White moon)" **then a circle nearly two hundred feet in diameter formed around them, his spirits eyes widening as the sheer size of the attack. She saw the circle light up and it grew colder, she felt her feet freeze solid up to her ankle while frost formed on her body. Then the attack faded and all the ice disappeared in wave of Shirayuki's hand.

"You have an abnormally high spiritual pressure but that is to be expected with you history. I can sense your body trying to wake you up so it's best you did. We will speak later, for now go" said the women as Ichigo began to fade.

"Wait, I know so little and I don't even know how to contact you again!" said Ichigo as he looked at her with shock and a slight bit of fear, an emotion she wasn't expected to see.

"Don't fret, I will take care of that" said Shirayuki before she faded from his vision.

**Well, that's my first fanfiction of Bleach. I'm sorry if it's too rough, it's been a few years since I even read this far back into the manga. I'll do my best to update soon but I write this at school and transfer this to word. I also have a few other stories I write as well so my updates will most likely be every month or so if my laptop fixes up(I'm using my home computer that has no information from my other stories on it as of now.) Best of luck to everyone, to good, stay in school and don't forget to review please! Peace!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry about the long absence, I haven't had any ideas until around midnight last night. I wrote this pretty quick so it's sloppy but I wanted to put it out there. I'll try to update the next one soon but nothing is set in stone.**

Key:

"Naruto"-speaking of humans and demons in human form

_'Naruto'__-_thoughts of humans and demons in human form

"**Naruto"**-demon/sentient talking in demon form

'_**Naruto'**_-demon/sentient thinking in demon form

"_**Naruto"**__-_anyone speaking through mental link

'_When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things' _– Joe Namath

Chapter 2

Ichigo could only stare in shock at the gaping hole in his house, his family all agreeing that a truck driver had smashed into their house. The young high school student chose to ignore his crazy family and opt to walk to school a little early instead.

"_**They must have had their memories altered by the soul reaper" **_said Sode No Shirayuki inside his head.

"Woah, how can I hear you?" said Ichigo aloud.

"_**You need only think your words, this way you don't talk out loud like an idiot."**_

"_**Oh, that's a lot better. Now, what did you mean by their memories being altered?"**_

"_**Just ignore the fact I worked hard on creating this link-"**_

"_**How did-"**_

"_**Don't interrupt me! Anyway, there's a tool shinigami like my previous wielder use to let human's forget what they saw. Since it can become a common thing, the tool is helpful in situations like that. Now, for the link I had to add a subtle piece of my energy into your brain then focus my mind on it. After some time, it connected and acts as a connector from you to me in your mind. That way I can hear, see and feel through you and vise versa."**_

"_**Wow, your amazing!" **_said Ichigo.

"_**Y-you can't go saying things like that!" **_shouted Shirayuki.

"_**What? Why not? You really are!" **_responded Ichigo but before he could listen to a response his friend Tatsumaki nudged him.

"Strawberry, you hear me?" asked the short haired woman.

"Hm, what's up?" asked Ichigo.

"What happened to your house?" asked Orihime.

"A truck driver just slammed into the lower floor when we were asleep, everyone's fine though."

"Good!" said the young girl with a smile before the teacher walked in and everyone sat down.

As Ichigo sat down he noticed someone next to him and frozen when he saw who it was, the woman from the night before.

"Y-you" Ichigo sputtered out.

"May I borrow your text book for the next class? I've just started and I don't' have one just yet" said Rukia, holding her hand out. Ichigo looked down and saw the words written down 'Say one word and I'll kill you.'

"Y-yeah…I'll go get them and meet you outside" said Ichigo and Rukia smiled.

"Thank you, you're too kind!"

Outside

"Ok, explain to me why you're here and not at the Soul Society place you spoke of?"

"Remember when I gave you my powers? Well, you took nearly all of them to the point I have to use an artificial body. I can't access my power, all I can do is use some minor spells with full incantations."

"Artificial body? Spells?"

"Weakened shinigami are targets for hollows so we use these to conceal our presence and stay safe from hollows. Spells are just that, we create different attacks with incantations. I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you this and it's pretty simple. Until I regain my powers you will fulfill my duties!"

"Ok" was all Ichigo said.

"Just ok? No argument, your fine with that?" said Rukia, surprised he didn't offer any resistance.

"Sure, Shirayuki already told me I'd have to do that anyway" said Ichigo.

"She…..already talked to you?" asked Rukia. She thought he just learned her name, no that he had actually met her so soon.

"Yeah she told me her name, then the first dance and we talked while I was asleep."

"_**Don't mention the link, it's something nearly all shinigami don't know of and for good reason."**_

"_**I wasn't going to, I wasn't sure if she knew about that anyway. Are you still mad at me?"**_

"_**I wasn't mad, just surprised. Brace yourself!" **_shouted his spirit before Ichigo felt an odd sensation flow through him just as his body fell down to the ground…..wait...why could he see his own body? The redhead looked at his hands and noticed he wore black robes again.

"If that's the case, follow me" said Rukia. Ichigo kept quiet as he followed the short woman, keeping a few paces behind until they stopped in front of a park.

"So what are we waiting for?" asked Ichigo, scanning the area for anything.

"Does a spirit appear here?"

"Yeah, a five year old plays here around 12 every day" said Ichigo.

"I got an order from the soul society, a hollow will appear here soon. It will mostly likely go after the child" said Rukia before Ichigo heard a scream. He turned and saw a somewhat short hollow similar to a spider chasing the spirit he spoke of.

Ichigo moved but Rukia spoke first "Wait!"

"Why!? He's being attacked!"

"You said he was a stranger, so why would you save a stranger? Why save someone just because it's convenient? As a shinigami you have to treat all spirits equally, can you make that commitment? Promise to lay your life down, on call every second of the day?" asked Rukia.

'_Do I want that kind of commitment?' _thought Ichigo briefly, Shirayuki keeping silent as she listened to his thoughts. She smiled when she noticed he took off after the hollow, slicing it's leg clean off and sending it sprawling across the ground.

'_Good choice, I hoped you would walk that path' _thought Sode No Shirayuki and Ichigo smiled a bit.

"_**I said I would didn't I?" **_said Ichigo through the mental link.

"So you've-"

"I didn't accept jack shit! I'm doing this cause I was here! Did you think "Is this my shinigami duty?" when you saved me? You bet your ass you didn't!" said Ichigo before he shoved his sword into the charging hollows mask before pulling it out, letting the being dissipate as he sheathed his sword onto his hip.

"I may not be a hero, I wouldn't risk my life for some totally stranger but I do owe you. So…..I guess I'll do this shinigami thing" said Ichigo, holding his hand out.

Rukia took it and smiled "Glad to hear it."

That night, Ichigo's mindscape

"I'm glad you took that path" said the sword spirit, facing Ichigo outside the small house.

"I promised I would if you helped me, I won't leave you alone either" said Ichigo.

"You're too sweet, but I do have a problem."

"What's that?" asked Ichigo before he felt a wooden sword hit the top of his head.

"You swing me around like an oaf! There's no finesse in your swings! We are getting some training in as soon as possible! No, right fucking now!" shouted Sode No Shirayuki.

"What? How?!" said Ichigo before he coughed a wooden sword and sloppily deflected a swing from her.

"Flow, keep your body flowing. Stiffness isn't good, let the motions blend together." After nearly an hour Ichigo slowly began to meld his movements, he didn't look like a robot trying to swat a fly. It took a lot of beatings from his spirit, beatings that he didn't appreciate.

"You'll be fine, it's not a real beating" said Shirayuki, wiping some blood off his face with a rag. He sat down in the living room of her house, letting her wipe some of the would a bit.

"If they aren't real why are you wiping them off? Just an excuse to get close to me?" said Ichigo and he watched her pale skin turn bright red.

"D-don't say that you pig! I can't believe I even started doing this!" and with that she stood up and walked into the kitchen, washing the rag. Ichigo sighed, he didn't mean to upset her, it was a joke after all. The redhead stood and moved quietly towards her, making no sound until he placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump a bit.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that" said Ichigo. Shirayuki turned the water off and dropped the rag before she sighed, drying her hands.

"I know, I overreacted as well" said Shirayuki, keeping her eyes down on the rag, refusing to look at him. She felt his hand lift off her shoulder then move to her jaw and force her to face him.

"What's wrong?"

"I…..Rukia was a nice girl, I can't say she wasn't but she didn't ever bother to talk to me or visit me. The man she has now as a spirit would be perfectly fine with her, but it was so lonely. It's so different now, you've held a longer conversation with me than I have with her ever. I…. sometimes just react the wrong way out of habit."

"Who said it was the wrong way to act?" said Ichigo and she looked at him in shock.

"You act like you, nothing else. You're strong, confident and smart so act however you want. I'm just happy you're helping me so much right now. I've been kinda alone for so long, woman wise. I've had my sisters but there just that, sisters, not a girlfriend. No one really stands out; no one's really gotten me as a person. Yet, in the short time I've known you, you've somehow put me at ease. I feel like I've known you for years, it's something so surreal. You do just fine being you, don't ever doubt yourself" said Ichigo. Sode No Shirayuki stood there in silence, taking in every word he said and replaying them over and over. She'd never had this kind of reaction from anyone before, she didn't know if this was him complimenting her or some mixed up confession, so she said it.

"Do you like me?" was her blunt reply.

"What?" deadpanned Ichigo.

"Do you like me? You mentioned you'd never connected with a girl like this, not including your sisters. So, do you like me?" asked Shirayuki, her tone somewhat hopeful. She knew it was extremely unlikely, he was a relatively nice person if his memories were anything to go by but that was where it stopped.

"I guess" said Ichigo with a shrug.

"W-what? You weren't supposed to say that!" said the spirit, a blush forming on her cheeks.

"Why the hell not?" said Ichigo as he threw his arms in the air, a blush also forming on his cheeks.

"I'm your sword spirit, not an human being!"

"So? I'm sure this has happened before!" said Ichigo and the woman thought back briefly. She knew of one captain and Kyokotsu having an odd relationship but she was never certain they actually felt anything but fondness.

"It's…..just…." said Shirayuki, looking for the answer.

"Just what? Not right? Who gives a shit what everyone else things? You're my sword spirit so everyone else can go fuck off!" said Ichigo before he realized what he said. _'Ah, that defiantly sounded like I was confessing my love to her. Well, she is cute though so I wouldn't mind.' _Then he noticed the woman's face flare bright red after he thought that and realized, she could still hear his thoughts.

"I…..didn't know that" said Shirayuki, leaning into him a bit.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to make it uncomfortable" said Ichigo, ignoring that she was leaning into him. What he did notice was she was inching towards his face. The strawberry blonde didn't move back, he stayed there and just…..waited as she got closer and closer. He could feel her cold breath now on his lips, her body temperature was ice cold….and he liked it. Just as the two were just less than an inch apart a crazed and high pitched laughter blasted through the world. The both separated and looked around for the source, Shirayuki already wielding herself. The two walked outside and scanned the area, there was nothing to show anyone was in the area, but it raised another question. Whose voice could have echoed in Ichigo's own mind?

"What the hell was that?" asked Ichigo, turning to his spirit.

"I'm not sure, I'm curious as to that myself too" said the woman before she let her sword disappear and the memories of just a moment ago flooded her mind causing her face to heat up. Ichigo was no better, he wondered why she was blushing then remembered what just happened and felt his face heat up a bit.

"Sorry Ichigo, I didn't mean to take it that far. It was-" She stopped talking all together when she Ichigo hugged her tightly. She noticed he was beginning to disappear and he started to talk.

"Don't apologize for something that wasn't a mistake. We can figure things out as time goes on, we don't have to confront anything right now" said Ichigo before he pulled back and looked at her with a smile "Sound good?"

Sode No Shirayuki smiled back "That works just fine."

**Sorry for an OC Shirayuki, I'm trying to show a softer side and mix her somewhat sarcastic side she showed when she was upset. I think she's nice for the most part but she is sarcastic a lot too, not mean mind you, but sarcastic. I'm building a character we don't know much about to begin with, after she broke free from Muramasa's control she was really nice and respectful but I think that was just her being nice after what she did. She's gotta have that edge to her she did when she was controlled, that playful, funny and snappy side to go with that sweet smile. As you can also tell, I will be pushing the relationship on pretty fast for the most part, it is a romance after all. The hollow will make an early appearance for story sake because he won't do a 3 day bankai like the manga. I'm going to try and develop both Sode No Shirayuki and the hollow powers more than the manga did. That, and I did say her dances could compete with some bankai. ;D We'll see how that goes together since this is all planned as I type it. I'll try to update more frequently but no promises, love you all! **


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